really impactful story about collective memory and trauma and trying to unravel the responsibility of the
“Forgetting was not the same as healing.”
really impactful story about collective memory and trauma and trying to unravel the responsibility of the individual to the collective. I really like speculative fiction and this has such a good premise (the children of pregnant women thrown overboard during the transatlantic slave trade became mermaids) I loved the authors note about how this book came around and the collaboration across multiple creative platforms, really interesting.
Yetu was a sympathetic and her role as the historian led to some really interesting discussions around psychology and the burden/trauma of remembering versus the liberation and relief of knowing and feeling connected to your identity and heritage. I really liked her discussions with Ori centring on this theme.
This felt thematically rich and explores so many issues around culture, history, life and identity in such a short period. It's also wonderfully queer. There were a few parts where the POV shifts confused me (could be due to the audiobook rather than the writing) but overall I really liked this...more
SapphicAThon Round Two: challenge one (read the group book) ✅
This was sooo freakin cute (but also sexy!) I loved the characters a lot, both Fabiola anSapphicAThon Round Two: challenge one (read the group book) ✅
This was sooo freakin cute (but also sexy!) I loved the characters a lot, both Fabiola and Likotsi were so well fleshed out even though this book is short which I loved. Even though it's not necessary, I do wish I had read the other books in this world first because I felt like I missed some things.
I found this very whirlwhind and 'love at first sight' though, which is not my personal favourite so I feel for that I didn't like it as much as I could have - however this is very much a "its me not you" thing and I recommend if you want a short, cute second chance f/f romance with good sex scenes and characters! I liked it :)...more
WHEN will a man as sweet and tall as Percy Newton come into my life? I relate to bi disaster Monty so much but where's MY sweet bf/gf who kill give meWHEN will a man as sweet and tall as Percy Newton come into my life? I relate to bi disaster Monty so much but where's MY sweet bf/gf who kill give me soft kisses all the time :/ anyway this was cute & funny thats all I have to say on that...more
Jem hoped he would find happiness. Jem smiled back at a boy long gone. Sometimes, Will, he said. You seem very close
wow okay this gave me the FEELS
Jem hoped he would find happiness. Jem smiled back at a boy long gone. Sometimes, Will, he said. You seem very close
wow okay this gave me the FEELS. I just .. I am trash. I am a massive trashcan who would die for the Shadowhunter-verse and all these characters. Like, they're all my kids and I LOVE THEM.
This is the story of Jace coming to the Institute for the first time, told from Jem Carstairs point of view. Everything about it was so sweet, Alec and Isabelle as children are ADORABLE. I loved how it showed Alec's baby gay crush on Jace. And just the interactions between the three Lightwood/Herondales are so pure, I love my children.
Raphael Santiago and Lily Chen are also in this and jfgh I LOVE THEM. Raphael is one of my favourite characters in this world so it was so so good to see him again. I miss him so much. Lily is also incredibly funny in this and those jokes about Jem being highkey hot? I felt that
Cassandra Clare's short stories are often hit and miss with me, like I've really loved some and hated some others. But this is one of the better ones! I liked it a lot and I'm pretty excited to read the others she puts out in this collection.
THIS WAS SO CUTE usually I don't read series spin off novellas because I can't be bothered and I don't care but I love Zuzanna and Mik and so I gave tTHIS WAS SO CUTE usually I don't read series spin off novellas because I can't be bothered and I don't care but I love Zuzanna and Mik and so I gave this a go. It was so sweet and definitely made me fall so much more in love with them as a couple.
This book was so gorgeous as well, it had he most stunning illustrations and design and was just overall lovely to read. The story of following the treasure map was also so sweet and I liked how it followed both Mik and Zuzanna's perspective. I only wish it had been in 3rd person like the series instead of first but that is a minor complaint.
Overall this was so cute and so lovely to read and if you like this series and/or this couple you should definitely read this. It's so short and sweet !...more
I read this is an afternoon so that was fun. this felt like it needed to be more epic and then start was too lengthy compared to the middle and end buI read this is an afternoon so that was fun. this felt like it needed to be more epic and then start was too lengthy compared to the middle and end but what the heck it was a pleasant few hours ...more
The Witch Sea had an interesting Concept, but I feel like this book was too short to really capitalise off of it. The worldbuilding was okay, but the The Witch Sea had an interesting Concept, but I feel like this book was too short to really capitalise off of it. The worldbuilding was okay, but the contents was outlandish and so there really needed to be more worldbuilding to not leave me so confused, I think.
But what I loved about this was the tone, it's melancholy and dark and uniquely told from a first person present tense which was interesting. I don't know how I feel about the writing, on one hand it was pretty, but on the other I think it was too flowery, and I say this as someone who likes flowery. I think it's just because this described eyes as limpid, and that violently took me back to my fanfiction days
This was interesting overall, but didn't blow me away (though the ending 'twist' kinda thing was cool). I would definitely read Sarah Diemer's other book The Dark Wife
list of not so subtly dragged authors • William Shakespeare • Stephanie Meyer • Cassandra Clare • J.K Rowling • John GreeOh boy, it's here and it's sassy.
list of not so subtly dragged authors • William Shakespeare • Stephanie Meyer • Cassandra Clare • J.K Rowling • John Green • Jane Austen • AND MORE
So Brooding YA Hero is one of my favourite bookish twitters. The tweets that come out of it are always simultaneously funny and perceptive of the general YA community. I was excited to read this: I expected major sass, a bit of lowkey dragging and tea to be spilt all over the place.
Alone in his room, Broody McHottiepants contemplated his future. He was the best of all fictional characters ever created - that he knew. His phone never stopped ringing (playing his theme song from his latest hit-movie adaptation, of course) with Authors begging him to star in their latest novels. An endlessly talented man, he’d been everything from a vampire to a quarterback. Into each novel, he brought his incredibly adjective-filled beauty, his gemstone colours gaze, his strong, strong arms, and his potent blend of wish-fulfilment and slightly toxic masculinity.
And each time, people swooned.
Brooding YA Hero: Become a Main Character (Almost) As Awesome as me follows the exact same tone of the twitter page, but basically expands itself out to a full book length. I expected something funny, something a little biting and something that pointed out some of the issues with YA.
This book has all that, and surprisingly, has a plot too. Broody McHottiepants, the owner of the twitter, has been feeling neglected as a main character and has decided to share his experiences as a main character by writing a guide for his fellow characters to become a main character. He is helped by Blondie DeMeani, his ex who, because she dresses stereotypically feminine, is also considered evil by Broody (obviously!)
Brooding YA Hero definitely has a sharp sense of humour. There’s subtle (and not so subtle) drags on popular YA authors. The sarcastic tone of the novel allows itself to attacking and critiquing poor YA themes and tropes, all in the guise of Broody explaining his experiences as a main character.
The inclusions of quizzes, charts and horoscope guides was also a fun addition to the book. I definitely enjoyed the horoscope guides towards the end. (PSA! My horoscope says I best represent the car chase YA trope)
Brooding YA Hero also puts in a decent amount of time into critiquing and exploring how YA perpetuates problematic representations and characterisations. The “ethnically ambiguous” side character, the kill your (marginalised person) trope, the overrepresentation of allocishet white men as main characters and love interests, and the lack of complex female characters in YA are all directly called out within text, and Broody’s main story arc is coming to recgonise these stories are undertold and that marginalised people are often poorly written. I loved that during the section about love interests, the author made it clear everyone should substitute pronouns as needed. And also, the validation of asexual and aromantic peoples through Blondie DeMeani's imput on love interests.
“Did I do something wrong?” Well. That was a given. He usually did at least fifteen things wrong per book, but only in a swoony, romantic way, where all could be fixed when he took off his shirt.
This book is quite short, and so it would probably be perfect for readathons, but I actually think it’s a good book to read slowly, just a chapter or two at once. Broody’s narration and headspace is funny, but too much at once gets .. grating. Take Broody in small doses.
Overall, Brooding YA Hero Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) As Awesome Is Me is funny, and on point. The joking about which gem coloured eyes best convey each personality, which classic YA trope fits your horoscope, and how best to conquer the love triangle are really funny and refreshing for anyone who’s ever felt frustrated with some of the overdone aspects of YA. This definitely is a tongue in cheek look at YA, and you’ll get a few easy laughs from it, trust me. Tea was spilt.
But this book also takes an oppurtunity to educate on the good YA is going, and the good it can continue to do, especially for those underrepresented.
Young Adult fiction is potential captured and frozen - a bright bolt of lightning caught on the page for everyone to read. It is both universal and incredibly personal, changeable and yet constant.
This was short and sweet! It follows a woman named Lana who's daughter Robin is attending a band practice. Lana is a lesbian woman recently out the clThis was short and sweet! It follows a woman named Lana who's daughter Robin is attending a band practice. Lana is a lesbian woman recently out the closet, and she falls for Robin's band teacher, who's a butch lesbian.
I think this was so cute, I loved that it was so tender and fluffy and positively represented older lesbian woman The romance was really nice and I think this would be an amazing book if it was longer. I also liked that there was such good friendly interactions between Lana and her child, and the other kids at the practice. Plus the music jokes were funny, I say this as an ex band nerd
"She wishes they could stay like this forever. Just the two of them; telling stories and sharing secrets without a care in the world."
I found this
"She wishes they could stay like this forever. Just the two of them; telling stories and sharing secrets without a care in the world."
I found this book so very cute! This is a novella romance about two girls who work together at a bookstore and the romantic element definitely had all the mushy gooey I-feel-warm-inside feelings that make romances gret
I also think representation and discussion was done so well in this book. The main character Chris is pansexual and the love interest Josie is Filipino and lesbian. The Melody of You and Me focusses on female sex positivity, queer experiences and also the young adult experience of being pressured into finding a partner/career/degree to follow.
I think all the above elements were really well done, and it was so nice to see that all in one short book. I especially liked the part when the lesbian character points out who people have relationships with in the past has little to do with their sexuality now, and also the discussions around university. I also really liked that the characters had hobbies and passions - reading, ballet, music, art, history, all play into these characters and what they're doing in the novella.
But I did have some issues with the characters. I found them a little too basic - and even though it's a novella and I understand there isn't as much length, I still think the characters could have been more fleshed out. I also thought that the romance was so insta-lovey. The three week period ending in "i love you", and one character calling the other her girlfriend with no discussion around it felt ... weird.
I think this would have been better if it didn't go into girlfriend/love territory, and instead had just ended on the two deciding to start properly dating or something? I don't know thats just personal preference.
Writing wise, I didn't seem to have the big issue many others did. I did find some interactions a bit awkward maybe, but overall this was a quick read for me and the writing was a non-issue. For me it just flowed without me noticing anything particular about it, good or bad.
Overall this is a very cute novella, and such a quick easy read which I appreciated. I really enjoyed the Issues aspect of it and thought it's depiction of queer relationships and experiences was well done. It hit some really good, important discussion points that are so important. For me, I was just let down by some of the tropey/cliche elements that came into play. 3.5 stars in total!
Read for SapphicAThon: Under 500 ratings on goodreads...more
HOW TO HAVE A LIT AF HOUSE PARTY • make sure at least 1 of your guests arrives sloshed • get someone to play the piano really badly • serve goose • sHOW TO HAVE A LIT AF HOUSE PARTY • make sure at least 1 of your guests arrives sloshed • get someone to play the piano really badly • serve goose • sing a sad song that reminds one of your guests about how the love of her life tragically died • get someone to make a speech with at least two (2) references to mythology. + repetition • bitch about the Pope • discuss your favourite underrated choir singers • do an imitation of a horse ? for some reason ? • question to holiday motives of your guest • loudly announce you actually hate your country of origin !!! • think about the snow, how it's falling, all the time. how it's falling on the graves of the dead • think about how everyone you love will die soon. prepare your funeral outfit in your mind • get super excited for some sex with your wife only to find out she's thinking about another man • think about how all love in your life has been mediocre • think more about snow. ...more
Listen, I love the GrishaVerse so much. It's one of my favourite high fantasy worlds, andLEIGH BARDUGO IS THE QUEEN OF YA FANTASY
I
ONLY
POST
FACTS
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Listen, I love the GrishaVerse so much. It's one of my favourite high fantasy worlds, and you can tell Leigh Bardugo loves it so much herself and has put so much work into it. The Grisha world just keeps on expanding and every expansion really makes me heart sing. This world is a little twisted, a little creepy, a little shattered. Filled with broken people and stories, with creepy histories and dangerous characters and a chilling aesthetic. And thats what I love about it. I love it being a little creepy and weird, it makes it so unique and so fascinating.
I'dd admit, I'm not a massive short story lover. I don't know why, it's nothing to do with leigh Bardugo. It's me. So anytime I read a short story collection, even from my faves, I'm expected to be left a little disappointed just because short stories and me don't .... we don't get along great.
But this is probably one of my favourite short story collections ever, because each story was so well written, and each one had a twist or addition I didn't expect. Leigh Barudgo really knows how to string you along and then undermine your expectation. She subverts the genre so often and fuck I love her for it.
Ayama and the Thorn Wood: 4.5 stars. This definitely reminded me of how we usually hear Grimm fairly tales told. It followed that familiar fairytale set up we're used to. The three stories told by Amaya I absolutely LOVED. Each one definitely didn't end how I expected and I loved how they were deliberately supposed to go against your expectations. I didn't give it a full five star though because of the ending being a bit predictable.
The Too-Clever Fox: 5 stars. BITCH I WAS SHOOK. I definitely didn't see the end of this one ocming, for some reason. This story gave me the absolute creeps, it was super creepy and kinda gross but I liked that about it. Definitely gave me the old spine tingles. I loved the characters in this, they were great and just the whole message of the story in general. I'm glad I hadn't already read the short story for this (because I believe this one is already published?) But anyway, loved this one
The Witch of Duva: 5 stars. YESSSS. This was my favourite one in the whole book. Oh my god, the plot twist got me okay. I was super freaked out and grossed out and jfghkjf. But I loved the female characters in this one and how they were written, the bond between the various characters, and the growth of the characters was amazing considering how short this was. I'd read this one again for sure I LOVED IT.
The Little Knife: Leigh Bardugo makes every single river in Ravka a lesbian? Obviously giving this one a five star bitch. I am SO GLAD people posted the artwork for this story on twitter because wow it's gorgeous. So I loved the composition of this story, and the repetitive nature actually didn't get to me at all? The quests were super fun, and I liked to see how each one was tackled. But BRUH that ending. The women establishing themselves and then destroying those who tried to control them my Aesthetic. Love love love
The Soldier Prince Eh. I didn't like this one much I kepy waiting for it to end. I kind of just .... didn't care? And I found the whole doll/kid thing kinda creepy, which I know I've been praising the creepy stuff but this one I don't know I just didn't like it much. The only bit I really liked was the Rat King's appearance. Only gave this one 3 stars
When Water Sang Fire 3.5 stars, maybe? I don't know, I'm very conflicted on this one. It had the Darkling in it, so that makes me happy. And I really loved the ending and what Ulla went out and did. But I felt kind of queer baited? I didn't like how Signy and Ulla's relationship went about, and I definitely felt the ending was the most predictable of all the stories. Pretty much the whole scene with Roth/Signy/Ulla annoyed me, but I was here for what Ulla did after that. I don't know this one is hard for me, I loved bits of it and felt nothing for other bits of it.
So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces.
I definitely enjoyed this creepy set of stories from the Grisha world. No matter what they contained, it was amazing just to be back in the world. I was really impressed with some of the stories, and even though I didn't love a couple as much, overall this whole collection was chilling, spine tingling, hair raising. And I can't fault Leigh Bardugo for that
Also, I listened to this on audiobook so for anyone interested the audio is great! It reminded me alot of Every Heart a Doorway in the style and tone of the narration and there was a lot of emotion put into conveying the characters and their situations. Really recommend the audiobook!
You know what I take away from this whole thing most?
BRING ON KING OF SCARS THE GRISHA VERSE IS MY SHIT...more
I listened to this amazingly cute novella in audio format and I absolutely loved it. Story wise, and narrator
“She was a story, not an epilogue.”
I listened to this amazingly cute novella in audio format and I absolutely loved it. Story wise, and narrator wise. This novella has been getting a lot of attention lately - and in my opinion it is totally deserved.
Every Heart a Doorway is a novella following Nancy - a girl who has been to another world, and then returned to ours. Unable to live in this world, and desperate to return to her discovered one - she begins to attend a school which houses children from a similar situation. The school helps the children reconcile with their reality and come to terms with never returning to their disovered worlds. And on top of all this, there is a little murder mystery going on at the school that Nancy and her new friends will need to unravel before it's too late.
MY FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS NOVELLA WAS THE CHARACTERS the characters are AMAZING. Unique people, all with such complexities considering how small this story is. I really enjoyed the different children who litter this world, and the different stories they had to tell. The whole book is also incredibly diverse.
- The main character Nancy is asexual - Her friend Kade is a transboy and moc - Sumi is an Asian woman - Jack is a bisexual woman and has OCD
I thought each child had a unique and interesting story, and I could have honestly read 500 pages of Nancy just talking to them. Jack (Jacqueline) was my favourite character. She is a smart, capable no-nonsense woman who loves science and does her own thing. She was such an interesting character and she made the novella so interesting. I also really liked Kade's character, he was incredible sweet and wise and added a sympathetic dimension to the other characters hard edges.
THE WORLDBUILDING was dynamic and interesting. The explanation of the different types of worlds and how each person had to act in them gave the world-travel element a unique twist, and the discrimination or judgement that came with being a part of each world was clever worldbuilding. I do think that if you weren't paying attention, however, the worldbuilding could err on the side of confusing. It is briefly explained in an info-dump moment. It wasn't terrible, but you better make sure you don't miss it.
I actually enjoyed the murder element of the book, though I did find the culprit a little obvious so I was pretty let down by that "plot reveal". The murder mystery just adds another element to the story, but it doesn't make the story - and yeah, it's pretty obvious so don't go in looking for any great big reveals and shocks.
Everything about this was GOOD
My main issue is honestly that it wasn't LONGER. I really would have liked a longer, more fleshed out book with more characters, more worlds, more stories. With just a little more the plot really could have been fleshed out, and the characters given greater room to grow. I am glad that Seanan McGuire wrote companion novels, but I still wish this one was a bit thicker.
I was also a little unsatisfied with the ENDING. I understand why it went like that, but I just felt .... nothing? I felt like their needed to be more payoff in the end.
“It gets better. It never gets easy, but it does start to hurt a little less.“
Every Heart a Doorway is one of the most fun and unique novellas I have ever read. Seanan McGuire created such an interesting world and concept, and then littered it with beautiful unique characters. The sympathetic way the story deals with their children, and their abundant aspects that make them people was the highlight for me. I truly enjoyed this, think it was totally worth the hype. I highly recommend the audiobook as well, I listened to it in one sitting.
You’re nobody’s doorway but your own, and the only one who gets to tell you how your story ends is you.
"the horror, the horror" yes im horrified a book so purely boring and racist managed to become a classic too
as past me once said: "It would be more fu"the horror, the horror" yes im horrified a book so purely boring and racist managed to become a classic too
as past me once said: "It would be more fun to put a rusty screw in my eye then keep reading this. I get it, it's a metaphor."
the only shoutout I can give this book is that I love it for giving me so much to write about and probably getting me through my exams so thanks HOD...more
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